Those who consume interest110 cannot stand [on the Day of Resurrection] except as one stands who is being beaten by Satan into insanity. That is because they say, "Trade is [just] like interest." But Allāh has permitted trade and has forbidden interest. So whoever has received an admonition from his Lord and desists may have what is past, and his affair rests with Allāh. But whoever returns [to dealing in interest or usury] - those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein.
Notes
[110] Included is that given on commercial as well as consumer loans.
Verse 275 of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:275), a Medinan surah, is in juz 3, on page 47 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 69 reciters.
Listen to verse 275 of Surah Al-Baqarah
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Tafsir of verse 275
Al-Mukhtasar
Those who take interest will rise from their graves on the Day of Resurrection like a person who is afflicted by Satan: they will stand up from their graves and then fall like a person who is epileptic. This is because they made usury permissible and made no distinction between usury and that which Allah has permitted in terms of profit earned through sales transactions. They claimed, ‘Sale is like usury’, meaning that both are lawful since both lead to an increase in wealth. Allah refutes their comparison and explains that He has permitted sale because of the general and specific benefit it contains, and He has prohibited usury because it is oppressive and abusive of people’s wealth. The person who stops taking usury, and repents from his sin, after receiving Allah’s instruction prohibiting it and warning him against it, may keep the usury that he received in the past, without any sin. Then, whatever he does from then on, Allah will judge it. Whoever returns to taking usury after knowing of the prohibition deserves to enter the fire of Hell and to remain there eternally. The reference to remaining in the fire of Hell eternally in relation to those that believe in Allah’s Oneness is an indication of a long period of time; for only disbelievers will actually remain eternally in the fire of Hell.
Those who consume usury will not stand [on the Day of Resurrection] except like those being beaten by Satan. That is because they say, “Trade is just like usury169.” But Allah has permitted trade and forbidden usury. Whoever desists because of receiving admonition from his Lord may keep his past gains, and his case is left to Allah. But whoever returns to it, they are the people of the Fire; they will abide therein forever.
Notes
[169] The image given here of a person possessed by the devil staggering while standing and walking unsteadily as they are resurrected for the Day of Judgment. It is a just requital because it mimics their insatiable lust for money in this life, twisting the laws ordained by Allah as they declared lawful what is not.
Those who eat Ribâ 74 (usury) will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaitân (Satan) leading him to insanity. That is because they say: "Trading is only like Ribâ (usury)," whereas Allâh has permitted trading and forbidden Ribâ (usury). So whosoever receives an admonition from his Lord and stops eating Ribâ (usury) shall not be punished for the past; his case is for Allâh (to judge); but whoever returns [to Ribâ (usury)], such are the dwellers of the Fire - they will abide therein.
Notes
[74] (V.2:275) Riba: Usury which is of two major kinds; (A) Riba An-Nasî’a i.e. interest on lent money; (B) Riba Al-Fadl, i.e. taking a superior thing of the same kind of goods by giving more of the same kind of goods of inferior quality, e.g., dates of superior quality for dates of inferior quality in great amounts.
Those who swallow usury cannot rise up save as he ariseth whom the devil hath prostrated by (his) touch. That is because they say: Trade is just like usury; whereas Allah permitteth trading and forbiddeth usury. He unto whom an admonition from his Lord cometh, and (he) refraineth (in obedience thereto), he shall keep (the profits of) that which is past, and his affair (henceforth) is with Allah. As for him who returneth (to usury) - Such are rightful owners of the Fire. They will abide therein.
Those who devour usury will not stand except as stand one whom the Evil one by his touch Hath driven to madness. That is because they say: "Trade is like usury," but Allah hath permitted trade and forbidden usury. Those who after receiving direction from their Lord, desist, shall be pardoned for the past; their case is for Allah (to judge); but those who repeat (The offence) are companions of the Fire: They will abide therein (for ever).
Those who swallow down usury cannot arise except as one whom Shaitan has prostrated by (his) touch does rise. That is because they say, trading is only like usury; and Allah has allowed trading and forbidden usury. To whomsoever then the admonition has come from his Lord, then he desists, he shall have what has already passed, and his affair is in the hands of Allah; and whoever returns (to it)-- these arc the inmates of the fire; they shall abide in it.
The ones who eat (up) riba (Interest or other unlawful gain; usury) will not rise up except as he whom Ash-shaytan (The all-vicious, i.e., the Devil) ever smites with the touch rises up. That is because they have said, "Surely selling is only like rib'a." And Allah has made selling lawful, and has prohibited riba." So, he to whom an admonition has come from his Lord (and) so has refrained (in obedience), then he will have whatever is bygone, (i.e. he is forgiven for his parts gains) and his case (Literally: command, i.e. the command of Allah to him) is for Allah; and whoever goes back, then those are the companions (i.e., the inhabitants) of the Fire, and they are therein eternally (abiding).
Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not sell gold for gold except like for like, and do not sell less amount for greater amount or vice versa. Do not sell silver for silver except like for like, and do…
O you who have believed, do not kill game while you are in the state of iḥrām. And whoever of you kills it intentionally - the penalty is an equivalent from sacrificial animals to what he killed, as judged by two just men among you as an offering [to Allāh] delivered to the Kaʿbah, or an expiation: the feeding of needy people or the equivalent of that in fasting, that he may taste the consequence of his matter [i.e., deed]. Allāh has pardoned what is past; but whoever returns [to violation], then Allāh will take retribution from him. And Allāh is Exalted in Might and Owner of Retribution.
So he began [the search] with their bags before the bag of his brother; then he extracted it from the bag of his brother. Thus did We plan for Joseph. He could not have taken his brother within the religion [i.e., law] of the king except that Allāh willed. We raise in degrees whom We will, but over every possessor of knowledge is one [more] knowing.
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
Indeed, those who disbelieve - never will their wealth or their children avail them against Allāh at all, and those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.
Allāh is the Ally of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into the light. And those who disbelieve - their allies are ṭāghūt. They take them out of the light into darknesses. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein.
